Price stability is an important foundation for food security at household level, especially for developing countries like Indonesia where a large population and limited infrastructure. High food prices will create difficulties for both the urban households (non-farmers) and farmers themselves who are also consumers. The risk of food price fluctuations due to the fact that food production is very unstable due to the weather influence. For the reason, government needs to intervene in order to maintain the stability of food prices. Price stability is very important to maintain income levels affordable by the farmers and consumers.
The emergence of specialized institutions dealing with rice is a necessity and the fact that history is driven by the important role of food for the people who presented to the social, economic society plus the geographical factors of Indonesia is an archipelago. The potential vulnerability in various sectors will soon appear to be a big problem if the meeting never took place food, especially rice.
In the meantime, food institution serves as a guarantor of the realization of household food security, which will also serve to correct market failure (market failure) which among others caused by inadequate infrastructure, so it is not attractive to private, because the opportunity cost is too high.

Paddy /rice (oryzae sativa L.) is plants that can grow well, ranging from 53 degree North latitude to 35-40 degree south latitude, from the coast up to 2400 meters above sea level. Rice is a plant that can grow in different environmental conditions.

Rice has a type that is: Indica, Japonica and Fur. Indica type rice cultivated in the tropics. This type has a characteristic of many tall plants and seedlings. Type indika less tolerant of low temperatures, drought tolerant, and resistant to pests and diseases. Indica type rice have amylose contents between moderate to high that rice taste inflammation. The type most widely planted rice in Indonesia is indica. Japonica type rice grain rice is shorter and fatter with a lower amylose content, so taste the rice fluffier. Type japonica originated from China and widely grown in temperate climates such as Japan, Italy, France, and Russia. Only fur type grown in Java and Bali and on the mountains slopes in the Philippines and Madagascar. Generally, paddy composition consisting of 19-24% husk and 76-81% of brown rie. Based on research results, the composition of husk are: ash (15.8 to 24.91%), carbon (38.51 to 55.8%), silica (37.05%), hydrogen (5%), nitrogen (1, 5%), other (0.1%). Un husk rice (brown rice) is a grain that has been released husk. Brown rice or often called PK consists of the pericarp of rice., bran layer, and milled rice.

This type of rice can be classified based on the smell and cooking quality of rice., Namely: (1). Rice flavored (fragrance rice), rice is the cooking result aromatic rice with a distinctive flavor, such as in Indonesia there are types of rice like Rojolele, Cianjur, Pandan Wangi , and so forth. (2) Rice was flavorful (non-fragrance rice), rice is the most common in the community because it has no characteristic smell or taste good. (3). Fluffier rice (sticky rice) is the rice that have low amylose contain and the cooking quality fluffier. (4). Rice inflammation (non-sticky rice) is rice that has a higher content of amylose than amylopectin content. This type of rice will absorb more water when cooked, so have high rice efflorescence, and the nature of rice inflammation. (4). Glutinous rice is rice that has no amylose starch content (in whole amilo pectin). Sticky rice is very sticky when cooked, soft, wet, shiny, absorb less water and less fluffy.

Rice derived from rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) and categorized plants with a varied range of growth areas. Rice plant can grow well in areas up to 53 degrees North latitude until 35-40 degrees south latitude, and altitude from 0-2400 m above sea level. In terms of the environment even rice can grow in static water conditions as well as on dry land., or on swamp. As historically, paddy / rice originated from tropical regions, but rice can also be grown in subtropical regions such as in Japan and North China.
In terms of calorie needs, rice contains about 360 calories per 100 grams, even for Indonesia the share of rice in the fulfillment of calorie needs to reach more than 50%.
In terms of morphology, there are several types of rice such as Indica, japonica and Fur type. Type Japonica numerous in tropical regions, with a shape rather long and taste a little inflammation. This type is most commonly found in southeast asia region. Japonica type granulated form rather short round, feeling a bit fluffier rice. This plant numerous chest of temperate region in Japan, Europe, and Russia. Fur type found only in some regions such as in Java, Bali, Philippines and Madagascar.
Paddy consists of 19-24% husk and 76-81% of the rice . The composition of husk content consists of: ash (15.8 to 24.91%), carbon (38.51 to 55.8%), silica (37.05%), hydrogen (5%), nitrogen (1.5% ), others (0.1%). The composition of rice consists of the outermost layer (pericarp). This layer in the polishing process will be peeled off together bran and germ. Weigh of bran and pericarp layers about 9-11% of its rice. The milled rice (endosperm) is the most in the weight reaches 69-91% of the weight of brown rice.

Social Bookmarking]]>http://rice.web.id/wp/?feed=rss2&p=148143Is it true that the recent food price hike due to rising production of biofuels.http://rice.web.id/wp/?p=143
http://rice.web.id/wp/?p=143#commentsTue, 22 Mar 2011 08:48:44 +0000Bambangdjhttp://rice.web.id/wp/?p=143

http://i.okezone.com/content/2010/08/20/213/364797/7YZwfSN2e2.jpg

If observed seriously, there have been rising world food prices sharply since 2002, and the highest possible during the period 2006 to 2008. Any increase in food prices, the poorest communities who were the first victims. The data indicate that food prices in international markets in the period 2002 – 2008 more due to the increased production of biofuels derived from grains and oil seeds, especially in the United States and the European Union. If no increase in biofuel production, the world’s wheat and maize stocks would not fall sharply. Similarly, rising prices of oil seeds is also caused by rapidly rising demand for raw materials for biodiesel production.
Perhaps the practice of grain export bans and speculative activities would not occur if no increase in grain prices are so sharp because the greater the demand for biofuels. Rising energy prices and fertilizer also caused by rising production costs between 15-20% in America and less than that number for other countries that are less production.

From various aspects such as high energy prices related to rising prices of fertilizer and transportation costs, and accompanied falling value of the U.S. dollar caused food price rise between 35-40% during the period 2002 to 2008. These factors have contributed about 25-30% of the total increase in food prices. The remaining approximately 70-75% increase in food prices caused by rising demand for biofuels.
As it is known that the cost of biofuel production from sugarcane in Brazil is much cheaper than the cost of biofuel production in the U.S. or EU. The use of sugarcane for biofuels in Brazil, did not cause a rise in sugar prices, since the speed of expansion of sugarcane production to meet food consumption needs as well as for biofuels. This is as a result of incentives European Union countries and the United States for the development of biofuels. Therefore, biofuel subsidy policy should be considered carefully.

Terms bran and rice bran for entrepreneur’s rice is not new. Bran and rice bran are byproduct of rice milling process. In the process milling of rice, except produced white rice, the other byproduct is bran, rice bran, groats and broken rice grains. Bran is the outer layer of rice grain which is usually mixed with a little endosperm. While rice bran is inner layer (below the bran layer) in a grain of rice.
Bran is usually produced in the first whitening process, while rice bran generated from second whitening process. Bran and rice bran contain high nutritional value, even higher than the its endosperm (rice). Bran and rice bran compound a main carbohydrates (hemicellulose, cellulose, starch and beta – glucan) and fatty acid (palmilat acid, oleic and linoleic). In the bran and rice bran also found antioxidants such as oryzanol and vitamin E. The content of vitamins in the bran and rice bran primarily B-complex. While minerals include iron, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, manganese, zinc and phosphorus.
Once the rich nutrient content (vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and others) in the bran and rice bran, so the bran and rice bran potential as functional food and as a food supplements. Even the society in terms of human diet, bran and rice bran potentially be used as an ingredient to improve the nutritional status of communities through the provision of bran-based processed food intake and rice bran for people who are malnourished.
The issue is those two materials are easy to change the smell (rancid), so it needs a touch of technology to overcome this. The way among others, can by inactivating lipase enzyme, by setting the pH, dry heat or steam, or with the use of microwaves. With helping technology, it is expected freshness of rice bran and bran can be maintained so that the rancid odor problem can be resolved.

In the rice business, there are several term quality of rice, for instance premium quality rice, super rice, or rice of high quality. What exactly distinguishes the quality of rice like that?. For general people, distinguished of rice quality usually based on performance. Rice with color more white, is normally considered better quality. Similarly, less broken rice categorized better quality. In addition except the appearance, quality of rice are also distinguished by the cooking quality. The quality of cooking is very dependent on the tastes of the community.

There are people who like the fluffier rice (soft), but there are also people who prefer rice that inflammation / hard. For the Javanese, who generally prefer rice fluffier. While the people of Sumatra who prefer rice inflammation. Thus for the Java community, fluffier rice is considered better quality than with the inflammation.
For Indonesia, the rice quality standards stipulated in the SNI (Indonesian National Standard), where the quality of rice were classified into 5 (five) groups of quality, namely quality 1 to 5. As an example for ISO quality 3 as follows: Components of quality milling degrees minimum 95%; maximum moisture content 14%; grain heads minimum78%; maximum of 20% broken grains, grain groats maximum of 2%; red grains maximum 2%; grain yellow / damaged a maximum of 2%; chalky grain maximum 2%, maximum 0.02% foreign matter and maximum unhusked grains 1.
The Indonesian government also has set the quality standard requirements for the national stock of rice, through Presidential Instruction. Based Instruction, standard quality of rice purchased government is covering at least 95% milling degree; maximum of 20% broken, grain groats maximum of 2% and maximum moisture content of 14%. Rice quality requirements set by the government is purposed to the stock of government, so that the requirements of the moisture content is very important. This is due to long storage, the laboratory conditions the maximum moisture content is 14%. If quality requirements are not met, rice will quickly decrease its quality.
Therefore, there are differences in understanding the quality of rice by the public for rice in the market with government purchased rice quality. For rice in the market, the requirements of the moisture content was not disputed, an important appearance and taste. While the government’s requirements for quality, technical factors such as moisture content, broken and grain groats very decisive, while the taste factor is not disputed.
For international standard is more stringent quality requirements such as fractures and broken grains small, whole grains, red grains, yellow grain, chalky, damage grain, mixed grain sticky rice, black grain. Thus we need to more carefully prior to performing the business of rice, because of differences in the understanding of rice quality. Standard quality rice which will be used as a reference should be understood completely.

The Strength of Centralized Government Food Reserves, Case of Indonesia.
So long, food reserve management policy of the government carried out centrally. This policy has the advantage, e.g. (1) More flexibility in the management of food reserves among regions, because the authorities are on one hand. If there are problems with food reserves in a region, the government can be overcome quickly. This will be difficult when the reserve has been decentralized to local governments, because it is not easy to ask the regions to assist other regions. (2) Full management of food reserves more controlled, so how the needs of national food reserves to more easily to manage. In a decentralized state food reserve, the control of food reserves in the area and the possibility to control in an integrated manner will have difficulty. (3) Still can utilize the facilities for the existing food reserves at the moment and does not require additional investment for management of regional food reserve. (4) A decentralized food reserves greater cost, since each region must add personnel and other overhead costs, so the total overhead costs would be larger and difficult to control.

Regional food reserve concept quite well when placed as a complement to the central government’s food reserves. With such a nature to strengthen the government’s food reserves that already exist, and adapted to local conditions.

Social Bookmarking]]>http://rice.web.id/wp/?feed=rss2&p=10020Food / rice as the unifier of the nation.http://rice.web.id/wp/?p=93
http://rice.web.id/wp/?p=93#commentsSat, 05 Feb 2011 09:04:30 +0000Bambangdjhttp://rice.web.id/wp/?p=93

A case study of Indonesia. When there is drought in 1997 followed by the food/rice crisis in 1998 and the financial/ economic crisis climax in May 1998 riots, not imagined what it would be if the management of food/rice national reserves is not held by one hand.

Monetary crisis, drought dried, catastrophic forest fires and the explosion of pests and plant diseases in 1997 has pushed food prices are quite high, followed by the rising prices of all needs, on the other hand the destruction of marketing facilities in urban centers due to the May riots 1998 in several areas directly has affected the smooth distribution of food / rice. On the consumption side, with the decline in purchasing power resulting from the increase of all the needs of the cost of living, the loss of most of the sources of public revenue due to layoffs will complement the pressure on the stabilization of the food system as a whole.

With the growing food shortage that occurred, then the government has assigned Bulog to distribute rice aid to food-insecure people with subsidized food aid pattern called the Special Market Operation (OPK).
The decision to do the OPK program and the realization of effective implementation is relatively fast, because it is so decided in June 1998, the month of July 1998, the program has started running, although not nationally. This is because the OPK program associated with the “stomach” of human fulfillment can not delay.
Courage to implement this program nationally, reaching + / – 45 000 distribution points in 27 provinces supported by the existence of the warehouse network that spread down to the Capital District and other remote areas.
The picture shows that the function and role of rice is so large in preserving the integrity of the nation. At least not with sufficient food, greater social unrest that has the potential to dis integration can be avoided.
In the context of trade in food / rice which occur between regions, then there has been inter-ethnic social interaction.
Inter-regional food trade will become a means of exchange of information and effective communication for people inter-ethnic inter-regional and so it can be a source of national unifier.

There is a tendency of shifting agricultural land into non-agricultural (industrial, residential, etc.), which cause a shift in fertile areas into marginal areas with limited infrastructure. This clearly increases the chances of market failure , which also makes the need for government intervention to prevent the occurrence of fragility of food security at household level, which in turn also on the national food security.
Still a lot of people with low-income groups scattered throughout the territory of Indonesia and the geographical nature of the island countries require a guaranteed supply of affordable food is physically and economically by this community group. Coupled with relatively many poor people who are potential occurrence of food insecurity that can lead to social insecurity if not handled properly.

The government still wanted the maintenance and improvement of food security, particularly the staple food, because it is closely related to economic security. Social, political, security as a whole to ensure the achievement of a reliable national defense. For the Indonesian people that the population of more than 200 million people in the region spread over an area of more than 17,000 islands, with limited transport facilities, ensure food availability is a must. Too big risks faced if until there is inability to provide and distribute food to all corners of the country.

As it is known that prior to becoming rice, there are a series of post-harvest activities ranging from harvesting rice in the rice fields, which produce hay, paddy, and milling paddy into rice. In the milling process there are a byproduct of paddy including husk, bran and groats. Therefore in the processing of rice, there are at least a byproduct of straw, chaff, bran and groats.
Straw can be used as a source of animal feed, insulation, energy sources for electricity generation. Bran, containing, can be used as a husk for fuel briquettes, plant media, wall materials, ceiling and other building materials.

Bran has a high nutritional value because the content of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber and other nutrients. Utilization of rice bran, among others, for animal feed, oil, baby food, and other processed food.
Groats are also significant because it has a relatively high protein content. Usually this groats can be used to manufacture a mixture of rice flour. With its typical use of groats can be for certain processed food products such as processed food products and other fast food.
Therefore in many rice business prospects and opportunities for the development of this adverse outcome. When examined more deeply, perhaps value of a byproduct will be much larger than the value of its rice. By integrating the product development side result of this, the calculation of base price of rice can be suppressed lower, so that the selling price can be more competitive. Is not this a good opportunity to get into the industry / business of rice with the concept of total integration?.